the beautiful ones is a story of young love. A promise Hana made to Ihia – a promise to return. Will she return? Will love triumph over temptation? the beautiful ones bursts from the late night sheen of a city club with beautiful bodies & vital vocals, replete with defiant dance moves and the meaning of love.

Called ‘the theatrical dance party of the millenium’, the beautiful onesalso features a dance floor for the audience to share the party vibe!

A World Premiere from the company that brought you I, George Nepia, Sunset Road and Tu - the beautiful ones is a masterful creative collision, weaving live music and produced beats, movement and choreography, visual design and text: written and directed by Hone Kouka, features choreography by Dolina Wehipeihana (co-founder of Atamira Dance Collective), acclaimed singer, song writer Tama Waipara (Fill Up The Silence), artist Johnson Witehira, fashion stylist Sopheak Seng and rising star music producer K*Saba.

‘I gave myself a challenge to create a piece away from a text based work – the beautiful ones is the result. A hybrid of art forms and cultures and to have so many incredible artists to collaborate with is daunting and exciting. ’

WRITER & DIRECTOR BIOGRAPHY

Hone Kouka MNZM is an acclaimed Maori writer, winner of the Bruce Mason Award and multiple Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards. He has had plays produced in South Africa, Britain, Hawaii, Canada, Australia, New Caledonia, as well as throughout New Zealand, with two plays being translated into French and Russian.

Hone co-founded theatre production house Tawata Productions, producing the works of Maori & Pasifika writers. He has worked as Development Executive at the New Zealand Film Commission. In June 2009, Hone became a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to Contemporary Maori Theatre.

TAWATA PRODUCTIONS BIOGRAPHY

Tihei mauri ora! Kia manuia! Based in Wellington, New Zealand, Tawata Productions is an indigenous performance and film company.

Specialising in the development and production of new work, Tawata blurs the lines between text, movement, film and music, presenting a diverse performance experience from Aotearoa to the world beyond.